Higher classification Australasian treefrogs | Family Hylidae Scientific name Litoria dentata Rank Species | |
 | ||
Similar Frog, Australasian treefrogs, Broad‑palmed frog, Tyler's tree frog, Peron's tree frog | ||
Bleating tree frogs failed moon landing
The bleating tree frog or Keferstein's tree frog (Litoria dentata) is a tree frog of the family Hylidae. This frog is native to coastal eastern Australia, from south-eastern Queensland, to around Eden, New South Wales.
Contents
Description
The frog is small (45 millimetres) in length. The dorsal surface of this frog is a dark or pale, rich brown, with broad irregular, lighter bands on each side of the frog starting from the back of the eye. A dark stripe runs from the snout, through the eye and onto the tympanum. There is a white bar directly under the eye. The ventral surface is light cream, although in breeding males can be yellow. The fingers are one-third webbed, and toes are two thirds webbed. The tympanum is visible. The iris is a strong rusty red colour. During the breeding season males become a yellowish colour.
Ecology and behaviour
This frog is associated with coastal lagoons, ponds and swamps, in heathland, sclerophyll forest and cleared farmland. The bleating tree frog is well known for its loud, high-pitched call, which can be painful to humans nearby. Males call from vegetation or ground around the breeding site. Mass breeding and calling can take place on warm, wet, overcast nights during spring and summer.
As a pet
It is kept as a pet, in Australia this animal may be kept in captivity with the appropriate permit.
